Prime Minister launches e-death notification system

31 Oct 2018 16:20pm

WINDHOEK, 31 OCT (NAMPA)  Prime Minister, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila on Wednesday launched the e-death notification system in the capital.
The e-death notification system, which is the latest component of the Civil Registration and Identity Management System, was conceived out of the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP) as well as the e-governance concept by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), the PM said while officiating the event.
Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, Patrick Nandago speaking at the same occasion, said the aim is to deploy the e-birth notification to all maternity wards before the end of the financial year 2018/19, while the completion of the system is set for the end of the 2019/20 financial year.
He further explained that the e-birth notification system has to date been implemented in 20 maternity wards, while it was deployed to 12 police mortuaries and selected wards at the Katutura State Hospital and Windhoek Central Hospital.
Nandago, who described the system as one of the most sophisticated and robust in Africa, urged the stakeholders to use the information provided as this will help in the planning process of national programmes.
Echoing the PS sentiments, United Nations Childrens Fund acting Country Representative, Frauke de Kort noted that the system is vital to the realisation of individual human and childrens rights for evidence-based national planning, as well as for ensuring national and sustainable development goals.
Knowing the fertility rate of your country will help you project, plan and budget for various essential services, including ante and post-natal care services, immunisation, early childhood development and education services, she said.
Death registration which means not only recording deaths, but also their causes, will generate critical data for instance for the health sector to determine related maternal and child health, disease specific mortality and vital statistics, De Kort added.
She however expressed concern that certain population groups remain underserved by these essential services.
(NAMPA)
UT/HP/PS